Bangkok Rapid Transit Resumption Schedule

[Gaybutton]

The MRT (subway) has announced service resumption beginning Sunday. On Sunday the MRT will run from 8:00am to 8:00pm. Full service is scheduled to resume on Monday.

 

The BTS (Skytrain) expects to resume service on Monday. There has not yet been an announcement whether it will be full or limited service. Damage and potential problems will be fully assessed before resumption of service, which means there is a possibility that service will not resume on Monday, but at the moment resumption of service on Monday is expected.

 

I have also seen reports that repair and reconstruction of the damaged shopping centers is expected to take at least six months.

[Guest fountainhall]

Damage and potential problems will be fully assessed before resumption of service, which means there is a possibility that service will not resume on Monday, but at the moment resumption of service on Monday is expected.

 

I have also seen reports that repair and reconstruction of the damaged shopping centers is expected to take at least six months.

I wonder who is responsible for the cost of repairs to all damaged property? I believe my apartment insurance policy rules out cover against riots and civil disobedience (I cannot view it as it is at my bank which has not reopened yet). I would imagine that commercial property and train service infrastructure may be be similarly uninsured. Is there not a case to be made for the red shirt organisers to be fully liable in most cases, considering it was their members who ran riot and caused most of the devastation?

 

If so, then I suggest a similar case must be brought against the yellow shirts for all the costs incurred as a result of their closure of the airports. On which subject, when if ever are the yellow shirt leaders going to be brought to book? Justice for all was surely one of the red shirts campaign slogans.

[Gaybutton]

Is there not a case to be made for the red shirt organisers to be fully liable

While that idea may be feasible in theory, how would it be done on a practical basis? Reconstruction needs to begin immediately. Holding Red-Shirts and Yellow-Shirts liable would mean lawsuits, wouldn't it? If that's the case, by the time it all gets dragged through the courts years could go by. I suppose in a lawsuit it could be incumbent upon them to reimburse the reconstruction costs later, but I don't think that's how the money will play out. Also, if the Red-Shirts and Yellow-Shirts prevail in such a lawsuit, then who pays?

 

The thing on my mind right now is not who pays for the reconstruction, but what is to be done for all the people, especially those who were poor in the first place, who lost their jobs as a result of these riots. I haven't found any figures published yet for just how many people that would be, but I imagine it will be a tremendous number. I also haven't seen anything published about what, if anything, is to be done for those people, especially those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. And they all have bills to pay and rent to pay, much of which will be due in little more than a week from now.

 

I think it's going to be a real mess. Even if the government offers to provide help, I'm guessing endless bureaucracy will cause long delays before these people see one baht. They would probably have to show evidence that they even had jobs in the first place that were lost as a result of the riots, to prevent cheating. They would probably have to show previous income evidence. They would probably have to show how many people are in their families. All kinds of things.

 

I hope, if they even receive any kind of help at all, that it will come in time to truly help them. Too little, too late won't put much food on their tables or provide them with a place to live.

[Guest fountainhall]

The thing on my mind right now is not who pays for the reconstruction, but what is to be done for all the people, especially those who were poor in the first place, who lost their jobs as a result of these riots . . . I also haven't seen anything published about what, if anything, is to be done for those people, especially those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. And they all have bills to pay and rent to pay, much of which will be due in little more than a week from now.

A very good point. I have spoken before about one Thai gay friend of mine who had a very small clothes shop across the road from Siam Centre. He had less than a handful of customers in the weeks leading up to the riots and has now been forced to close up. He has a small income from a stall at Chatuchak but has absolutely no idea how he is going to pay off his various debts. He is one of the poor (literally) guys the red shirts were supposed to be helping. Now he is violently opposed to them.

[Guest]

Clearly these small business owners should be first in line for government compensation.

After all, it was the government that failed to do it's duty and maintain law & order.

 

While we are on the subject of urban rail systems, is the airport link still not running a full service?

[Guest lvdkeyes]

"Clearly these small business owners should be first in line for government compensation."

 

The very point I made on another thread.

[Gaybutton]

"Clearly these small business owners should be first in line for government compensation."

 

The very point I made on another thread.

A Bangkok Post article now says "CRES set up a panel to assist small business operators and others affected by the rally."

 

No details have yet been published.

[Guest fountainhall]

While we are on the subject of urban rail systems, is the airport link still not running a full service?

It is still not running at all!

[Guest GaySacGuy]

It is still not running at all!

 

The airport link was scheduled for public testing, but was postponed because of the red shirts demonstration. The construction and trains are complete.

[pong]

"Clearly these small business owners should be first in line for government compensation."

Why them? Those who held simple jobs at WTC/Central World or other centres-like cleaners, cookers etc-who immediately lost any income are likeley worse off. Most Siam-Centre shop holders pay via 4-5 or even more middlemen enormous amounts of rent (the buildings all tend to be owned by Chula Uni-but as they are so prized-this is what happens-TITs!) and make quite good money- allowing some buffer cushions. Not wanting to quibble-just to point out to look a tiny bit further. Or the business-stall holders in other tourist areas, who had days without even selling a single item?

And what about Silom barboys in the poor clubs-sleeping there-and their bars closed for over a week-and still due to curfew? They have nothing to prove at all that they even are ''employed'' in BKK.

As you all know-preventing any cheating on all those informal and undocumented jobs is well-nigh impossible.

[Gaybutton]

Why them? Those who held simple jobs at WTC/Central World or other centres-like cleaners, cookers etc-who immediately lost any income are likely worse off.

It always seems that those who were the worst off before a crisis end up being even worse off after a crisis. One partial solution could be that the businesses get financial assistance and they help their staff from the money they receive.

 

Of course, whether the businesses would actually give any money to their staff, or how much they would give, or even how long it will take before the businesses see any assistance money in the first place is another story.

 

I'm glad businesses are at least able to register for assistance, but the powers-that-be can't just dole out money to whoever walks in with no evidence to back up their claim and says they've lost everything because of the riots.